Shotgun cartridge



R. W. COMERFORD 3,269,311

SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE Filed Oct. 25, 1962 Aug. 30, 1966 United States Patent O 3,269,311 SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE Ronald W. Comerford, 11905 Milan Ave., Cleveland, Ohio Filed Oct. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 232,420 6 Claims. (Cl. 102-42) The present invention is a continuation-in-part of the application entitled, Shotgun Shell, Serial No. 188,646, filed April 19, 1962, and Pouch Wad, Serial No. 205,047, filed June 25, 1962, now abandoned.

The present invention relates generally to ammunition and more specically to shotgun cartridges.

Shotgun cartridges normally comprise a cylindrical fiber case and a metal base cap tightly secured over the rearward end of the case. The Icartridge case is often filled with a basewad pressed into the rearward end, a powder charge, a shot charge of pellets, and a Wad column 4in the middle separating the powder and shot charges.

The difficulty with prior cartridge constructions is that they are ineffective in sealing against blow-by of explosion gases. This gas blow-by may be forward, around the middle Wad column and/ or rearward, through and around the basewad. Such gas blow-by decreases the efficiency of the cartridge and causes overall poor firing characteristics.

The wad column arrangements available prior to the present invention and the above Pouch Wad application were most often a column of two or three wad pieces. At first each wad or wad piece was a compressed mass of fibrous material, i.e., paper or cork. Later, the lowermost wad was occasionally made of a plastic material. One proposed form of plastic wad included a short cylindrical outer wall and a transverse wall connected to the mid portion of the outer wall to provide a generally H- shaped cross-section. Another proposed form was vsimilar to the above H-shaped wad and further included an -upwardly axially extending hu-b and several spoke members projecting radially from the hub and connecting with the cylindrical outer wall. The latter wad proposal was intended to function as an obturating wad as the hub and spoke members, when compressed by the explosive force, extended radially lto exert a lateral force on the cylindrical wall and thereby supposedly effect a seal against gas blow-by in the cartridge case.

Substantially all the prior middle wad arrangements, fibrous and plastic, allow a great deal of gas blow-by as they pass through the forcing cone portion of the vshotgun barrel. When a cartridge is fired the infolded portions of the cartridge case open and end somewhere near the beginning of the forcing cone. As the middle wadding passes out the cartridge it must expand quickly and greatly to fill the barrel between the cartridge and the forcing cone and in the forcing cone. Almost all prior middle wads are not capable of such expansion and ylose their gas seal when passing into the forcing cone. Consequently a great deal of gas blow-by results. The lost thrust because of such gas blow-by decreases the maximum possible velocity of the emerging shot charge.

Another place where the velocity of the shot charge is decreased is in the choke cone at the barrel muzzle. Here the shot charge is further confined immediately before emerging from the gun muzzle. The relatively rigid construction of prior wads causes a large frictional loss as -the wadding passes through this choke cone. The frictional loss results in a lower possible velocity of the emerging shot. The rigid construction of prior plastic wads also causes a plastic residue to be deposited in the choking cone.

The invention provides a single piece wad construction which antiquates the prior two and three-piece wad ICC columns. The present wad is flexible land provides an effective seal, Iboth in the cartridge case and at all locations in the gun barrel. Additionally, the flexibility of the present middle wad provides a minimum of friction loss as the shot charge and wad pass through the choke cone.

The middle wad of the invention is preferably the lower portion of a one-piece shot-pouch and middle wad combination. This combination is termed a pouch-wad and is presented in the above-mentioned Pouch Wad application.

The middle wad portion of the pouch-wad includes a cylindrical wall sized to telescope within the cartridge case. The lower end of the cylindrical wall Iis enclosed by an end wall and terminates further in a longitudinally extending flexible skirt. The lower end wall and the flexible skirt are disposed over the powder charge. An upper end wall separates the pouch portion from the middle wad portion and provides a shelf for the shot charge. A center support structure extends from the lower end wall to the upper end wall to support the center of the end wall and the sho-t charge thereon.

The cylindrical wall is very flexible and is not tied in any way along its length to restrict that flexibility. When a shotgun cartridge utilizing the middle wad of the present invention is fired, the cylindrical wall port-ion lof the middle wad bulges radially outward to seal against the blow-by of the explosion gases. As the shot charge and the middle wad pass out the cartridge case and int-o the forcing cone portion of the gun barrel the flexible wall portion of the middle wad construction bulges further radially to ll the larger inside diameter of lthe barrel and thereby maintains the seal against gas Iblow-by. The cylindrical wall readily bulges and flexes to fill the barrel and maintain such seal throughout its travel down the bore of the gun barrel. When the shot charge passes through the choke cone the wall of the middle wad readily deforms radially inward to cause a minimum of friction loss.

The improved sealing action provided by the middle wad and the decrease of frictional loss have contributed to decreasing the loss of velocity of the shot charge as it passes through the gun barrel. Because of this decrease in velocity loss lthe shot charge of a cartridge using the middle wad of the present invention may be reduced from a standard 24 grains to 18 grains. This represents a 25% reduction in the necessary number of grains of powder charge to achieve the same muzzle velocity of the shot charge as -obtained with a cartridgey using prior multi-wad arrangements and the full 24 grain powder charge.

An additional advantage provided is that no plastic or other residue is left by the middle wad of the present invention as it passes through the choke. No residue is left because the outer wall is able to readily deform inward to conform to the size and shape of the interior of the barrel bore through which it is passing.

Still another advantage of the present middle wad is the great reduction of scoring and scraping of the inside of cartridge case and the shotgun barrel. Prior fibrous wad columns and combination plastic and fibrous wad columns severely score and scrape the inside of the cartridge and the gun barrel. This is because when the shotgun cartridge is fired the paper filler wad is compressed, as is the plastic obturating wad, and either will exert a terrific horizontal thrust against the inside walls of the cartridge case and the gun barrel. The laterally expanded fiber and/or plastic wad score and scrape as hey pass out of the cartridge case and through the gun ore.

In the present invention the middle wad portion of the pouch-wad eliminates the multi-piece column wads of the prior art, especially the fibrous iller wads which cause the greatest amount of scoring. In addition, when a cartridge using the present middle wad is fired the rearward thrust of the shot charge compresses the center support structure slightly, but since the support structure is not connected to the outer wall it does not exert any radially outward force thereon. The center support structure carries a major portion of the rearward thrust of the shot charge. It also gives to cushion the thrust of the shot charge. Since the center support structure is not connected to the outer walls the entire load carried by it is placed directly on the lower end wall to inhibit upward concave deformation of the lower end wall by the force of the ignited primer and powder charge. As most of the rearward thrust of the shot charge is carried by the center support structure less force is exerted on the outside walls than with the prior obturating wad. The amount of force exerted on the cylindrical wall of the present middle wad is sufficient to cause it to radially expand or bulge, to fill any adjacent cavity and to maintain a seal Iagainst blow-by, but is not great enough to cause the wall to score and scrape the cartridge or gun barrel. The relative thrust load carried by the inner support structure and the outer wall is substantially determined by the size of the space between the center support structure and the outer wall.

Prior to the basewad of the present invention and that described in the Shotgun Shell application, basewads were often made by wrapping or coiling a long strip of paper to form a roll which was telescoped into the cartridge case and pressed into place. The difliculty with these prior basewads is that they leak between the layers of paper as well as between the basewad and the inside of the cartridge case. Such leakage often results in the metal cap fracturing just above a rim formed at the base of the cap. This type of fracture can be extremely dangerous as a person tiring such a cartridge in a weapon will receive a blast of explosion gases in his face. The leaka-ge of the prior paper wads increases with each ring so that they leak rather severely after a few firings, thereby increasing the danger of such a fracture.

Another problem with prior basewads is that the gases escaping between the basewad and the metal base cap circumferentially expand the pontions of the basecap adjacent the rim. Such expansion elimiated the rim edge engaged by the extractor mechanism of the gun in use to 4eject the cartridge from the breech after firing. Without an' abrupt rim edge the extractor mechanisms tend to override the rim making it extremely diicult to remove the cartrid-ge.

The basewad of the present invention and that described in the above-mentioned applications is made of a synthetic plastic material having a forward powder charge cavity tand an axial, flash hole. The basewad includes a flexible skirt around the powder charge cavity which radially expands upon explosion of the powder char-ge to seal the rearward end of the cartridge against the escape, or blow-by of explosion gases. The basewad is also provided with annular rings and a rib projecting from the outer cylindrical surface of the basewad to additionally seal the escape of gases and to rigidly secure the cartridge case to the metal base cap concentrically disposed therearound. The basewad of the present invention contains a further improvement in the form of a seal around a primer disposed in the rearward portion of the flash hole. The seal is -a llexible, annular lip formed in the interior surface defining the flash hole and includes a plurality of sealing ring protrusions circumferentially engaging the primer-receiving portion of the metal base cap.

A purpose of the annular lip and sealing rings is (l) to clamp the primer in place so as to prevent it from popping rearwardly out of the cartridge when the powder charge is ignited, and (2) to seal against the escape of gases between the basewad and the metal cap. When the powder charge is ignited its explosive thrust pushes l against the llexible sealing lip. The lip and sealing rings then squeeze against the primer clamping it in place and inhibiting any gases from escape, both between the primer and the metal cap and between the metal cap and the basewad.

Thus, the middle wad portion of the pouch-wad and the basewad of the present invention cooperate within the cartridge case to provide almost a perfect seal against the blow-by of explosion gases within the cartridge case and as the shot charge passes through the barrel bore. The basewad inhibits rearward escape of exploding gases and the middle wad portion of the pouch-wad inhibits forward escape of explosion gases as the shot-charge passes out the cartridge case and down the barrel bore.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved composite shotgun cartridge wherein the middle wad and the basewad cooperate within the cartridge case to provide a maximum possible seal against the blow-by of explosion gases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cartridge having a middle wad which maintains a seal against the blow-by of gases as the shot charge and middle wad pass out of the cartridge case and through the forcing cone portion of a gun in which the cartridge is used.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved cartridge having a middle wad which ilexes readily as it passes through the choking cone portion of the gun barrel so as to provide a minimum friction loss.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shotgun cartridge having a middle wad which leaves almost no wad residue in the barrel bore.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shot-gun cartridge having a middle wad which, upon ignition of the cartridge, expands radially outward sufficiently to maintain a seal against gas blow-by but not with such force as to cause scraping and scoring of the cartridge case and the gun barrel bore.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved middle wad for use in shotgun cartridges which does not require fibrous wadding and additional filler wads.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shotgun cartridge having a middle wad which is a single piece.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved composite cartridge wherein the basewad prevents the primer from popping out upon ignition of the powder charge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cartridge having a basewad which provides a seal against the escape of explosion gases out the rearward end of the cartridge.

A final object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved basewad for use in the composite cartridge, the basewad including a seal around the primer pin in the rearward end of the flash hole, the seal preventing the escape of explosion gases between the basewad and the metal cap disposed around the base end of the cartridge case.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional View, in a longitudinal plane, showing a vcomposite cartridge using the basewad of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the basewad of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the basewad of FIGURE FIGURE 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a section view, simi-lar to FIGURE 3, but of another form of the center support structure for the middle wad construction of the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a section view, in a longitudinal plane, taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE S.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a composite cartridge generally indicated by the reference character 11. The composite cartridge 11 employs preferred forms of a basewad and a middle wad portion of a pouch-wad 40 of the invention. The composite cartridge 11, includes a cylindrical case 12 and a metal base 13. The case 12 may be made of plastic, a fibrous material, or any other suitable materials spirally or otherwise wound to form Ia cylindrical tube. The metal base, or end cap, 13 is made of brass or other suitable material. The base 13 reinforces a rearward portion of the cartridge case 12 containing a powder charge 14. The metal base 13 also provides a surface or edge by means of which the cartridge is locked in the breech of a small arms weapon. The base 13 includes a cylindrical portion 15, a transverse .portion 16, covering the bottom end of the cylindrical portion, and an inner primer-receiving portion 17 centrally located in the transverse portion 16. A circumferential rim 18 is formed at the juncture of the cylindrica-l portion and the transverse portion 16 to retain the cartridge within the breech of the particular weapon in use and to provide .an edge for ejecting the cartridge after ring.

The basewad 10 disposed in the base end of the cartridgev case 13 is .made of la synthetic plastic material or other suitable resilient material and does not fracture or fragment upon the impa-ct of an explosive force provided by igniting the powder charge 14. The preferred plastic material is high density `polyethylene.

As shown in FIGURES 1-3, the body of the basewad 10 has an outer cylindrical surface 21. At the base or rearward end of the basewad a triangularly-shaped flange 22 projects radially from the cylindrical surface 21. The flange Z2 increases the base surface area of the the basewad and is clamped between the opposing surfaces making up the base rim 18. Clamping the flange y22 in the rim at the time the base 13 is fixed to the case 12 rigidly secures the basewad in the base of the cartridge 11 and effectively seals against blow-by of the explosion gases. Just above the flange 22, a rib 23 also projects radially from the cylindrical surface 21 and compacts the cartridge case 12 against the metal base 13 to additionally secure the basewad in place and to sea-l against blow-by.

The forward end of the basewad 10 is provided with a cavity, or well, 25 for receiving and holding the powder charge 14. A skirt, o r thin wall portion 28 surrounding the powder charge cavity is flexible and expands radial-ly to `prevent the blow-by of explosion gases generated by ignition of the powder charge 14. The skirt includes a flared lip 29 and two sealing rings 30, 31. The lip 29 forms a very flexible wedge-shaped flared extension of the skirt to prevent the entry of the blow-by gases between the basewad and the cartridge case. The lip 29 also prevents the entry of gun powder between the basewad 18 land the cartridge case 12. The sealing rings 30, 31 act in the manner of piston rings to seal off the blowby gases that get past the lip 29. The skirt 28 is flared slightly radially outwardly to maintain the lip 29 and the sealing rings 30, 31 in constant pressure contact with the interior surface of the cartridge case 12. These sealing devices have been found to be very effective and assure that none of the thrust of the exploding powder charge is lost out through the base of the cartridge.

A lbottom surface 27 of the powder charge cavity 25 is flat so that the force of the explosion pushes straight against the baise of the cartridge. This force is approximately 10,000 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.), and will push out the cylindrical portion 15 of the base if the bottom surface 27 is tapered, as the radial vector of the explosion force is concentrated more at the bottom of the skirt than uniformly over its length. Moreover, if the force is concentrated more at the base of the skirt, the scaling rings are drawn away from case 12 and do not seal effectively against the blow-by gases. i

As shown in FIGURE l, the cylindrical portion 15 of the base 13 extends axially beyond the en d of the skirt 28. This arrangement prevents shearing the cartridge case at the top of the base 13. In other words, if the skirt 18 extended above the base 13 the explosive force of repeated fringes of the -cartridge might shear the cartridge case 12 at the top of the base.

A firing channel, or flash hole 32 extends axially in the basewad from the powder charge -cavity 25 toward the rearward end of the basewad. A primer-receiving opening 33 extends axially in the basewad from the rear,- ward end toward the powder cavity and opens into the flash hole 32. The primer-receiving opening 33 is smaller in diameter lthan the flash hole 32 so that an annular surface connects them and forms an annular lip 34. The annular lip surface 34 has a convex contour sloping rearwardly away from the longitudinal axis yof the basewad. The annular lip surface 34 and the adjoining portion of the inner basewad surface defining the flash hole 32 form a flexible seal. The inner cylindrical surface defining the primer-receiving opening 33 includes primer sealing rings 37, 38 and 39. The primer sealing rings 37-39 engage the primer-receiving portion 17 of the metal 'base 13 andv act to seal against the blow-by gases much in the same manner as sealing rings 30, 31.

The primer-receiving opening 33 receives the primer.- -receiving portion 17 of the metal base 13. A primer 36 is provided in the primer-receiving portion 17 and pro.- trudes axially into the flash hole 32. The lip 34 surrounds the primer-receiving portion 16 and the primer 36'. When the powder charge 14 is ignited, the explosive force generated pushes -the flexible lip 34 and the primer sealing rings 37-39 against the primer-receiving portion 17 to clamp the primer 36 therein and prevent the escape of explosion gases, particularly between the basewad 10 and the metal base 13.

The one-piece middle wad and shot-receiving pouch which is termed the pouch-wad 40 is telescoped within the cartridge case 12 over the top of the powder charge 14. The pouch-wad 40 is made preferably of a relatively low density polyethylene. The pouch-Wad 40 includes a middle wad portion 42 and a shot-receiving pouch, or pocket portion, 43.

The middle wad portion 42 includes a cylindrical outer wall 44 and a base end wall 45. The cylindrical wall 44 extends longitudinally beyond the base end wall 45 and terminates in `a tapered skirt 46. The tapered skirt 46 is very flexible and expands radially when the powder charge 14 is ignited to provide a seal between the wad portion 42 and the cartridge case 12. The seal provided by the skirt 46 inhibits the escape, or blow-by, o f explosion gases between the pouch-wad 40 and the cartridge case 12.

The shot-receiving pouch portion 43 of the pouch-wad 40 includes a cylindrical wall 47. The internal diameter of the cylindrical pouch wall 47 is larger than the internal diameter of the cylindrical wad wall 44. A shoulder 48 is formed where the cylindrical wad wall 44 meets the cylindrical pouch wall 47. A disc 49 -of paper or other suitable material seats on the shoulder 48 and the paper disc 49 functions as an end wall to separate the interior of the middle wad portion from the shot-receiving portion 43. The paper disc 49 is sized slightly larger than the internal diameter ofthe cylindrical pouch wall 47 to cause a slight bulge in the outer wall of the pouch-wad adjacent to the shoulder 48. This slight bulge assures a slight force fit of the pouch-wad within the cartridge case while the cartridge is being loaded. This force fit prevents the cartridge from slipping up and down during the shell-loading process. A shot charge of lead pellets 50 is provided in the shotreceiving portion 43 and rests against the disc 49. When the cartridge is red the inertia of the shot charge produces a rearward thrust on the paper disc 49 which is transferred, in part, to the cylindrical wad wall 44.

A center support structure 51 assists the wad wall 44 to support the cardboard disc. The center support structure S1 includes a cylindrical center post 53 and a plurality of support walls 54 extending radially outward from the center post 53 toward the wad wall 44. The center post and the support walls 54 extend longitudinally between the end wall 45 and the paper disc 49. The center post 53 is made cylindrical rather than solid to facilitate hardening of the plastic material during the cooling portion of the manufacturing process. A large solid center post of large diameter is not able to cool properly `and forms a gelatin mass rather than hardening properly. A cross-like reinforcing member 56 is provided near the bottom of the interior of the cylindrical center post 53. The cross-like member 56 provides a place to be struck by the knock-out pin when the pouch-wad is ejected from the mold in which it is made. The cross-like member 56 additionally strengthens the center of the end wall 45 which is immediately over the primer 36. If the cross-like member 56 were not provided it is possible that the axial force generated bythe primer when ignited could blow a hole through the center of the end wall 45.

The radial extending support walls 54 extend toward but do not connect with the outer wad wall 44. This construction permits a great deal of flexibility in the outer wad wall. The relative length of the cylindrical wall 44 also aids radial expansion of the middle wad portion 42 to fill any sized cavity or bore it may encounter as it passes out the cartridge case and through the gun barrel.

The distribution of inertia, or load thrust, of the shot charge when the cartridge is fired is proportioned between the center support structure and the outer wad wall 44, such that the force causing radially outward expansion of the wad wall is sufficient to maintain a seal against the blow-by of gases but not great enough to cause scoring of the cartridge case and the gun bore. The relative proportioning of the thrust load is substantially determined by the spacing between the center support structure 51 and the outer wall 44. This space is necessary both for reasons of exibility in the outer wall 4and because of proper distribution of the thrust load. In the preferred form shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, the relative distribution of the thrust load can be readily modified in the finished middle wad construction by changing the radial length of the support walls, 54.

Another form of the center support structure is indicated in FIGURES and 6 by the reference character 60. The center support structure 60 includes a center post 61 and a concentric cylindrical support member 62. The center post 61 and the cylindrical support member 62 extend longitudinally from the end wall 45 to the paper disc wall 49. The ycenter post and cylinder arrangement of center support structure 60 is functionally similar to the post and radial wall arrangement of support structure 51. The distinction between the two center support structures is that in the preferred form 51 the center cylinder and radial walls do not post as many molding problems as the center post and cylinder arrangement 60. Also, the radial support walls 54 may be changed in a finished middle wad to alter the relative proportions of the distribution of the thrust load.

The cylindrical pouch wall 47 is weakened or preferably split longitudinally in a plurality of loctions 64 to cause the shot-receiving pouch to open up as it emerges from the muzzle of a gun barel in which the cartridge is used. The splits 64 divide the pouch wall 47 into la plurality of cylindrically contoured sections 65. In the preferred embodiment shown there are four splits 64 dividing the pouch wall 47 into four cylindrically contoured sections 65. The opening of the shot-receiving pouch may be likened to that of a flower. In other words, as the pouchwad 40 emerges from the confines of the barrel each cylindrically contoured section 65 of the cylindrical pouch wall 47 is blown from its substantially longitudinally extending position to a somewhat radially extending position. Thus, the pouch-wad surrounds and protects the pellets 50 while in the barrel and opens up to free the pellets once out of the barrel.

The cylindrical pouch wall 47 flares from a small diameter near the middle wad portion 42 to a slightly larger diameter at its open end. The function of the are is to assure that the sections 65 of the cylindrical pouch wall 47 will be blown radially outward as the pouch-wad emerges from the barrel muzzle. A more detailed description of the pouch portion of the pouch-wad and its features and advantages is given in the above-mentioned Pouch Wad application.

The present invention may be briefly described as comprising an improved middle wad and basewad which cooperate within a cartridge case to provide a maximum possible seal against the forward and/or rearward blow-by of explosion gases. The basewad includes a primer-receiving opening which is defined in part by a flexible, annular lip including sealing ring protrusion means adapted to apply pressure to the sides of a primer pin disposed in the opening and to seal against the blow-by of gases. The middle wad comprising essentially an `outer cylindrical wall telescoped within the cartridge case with one end adjacent a powder charge and the other end adjacent a shot charge. A skirt-like wall transversely enclosing the lower end of the cylindrical wall adjacent the powder charge, a second end wall disposed across the end of the cylindrical wall adjacent the shot charge, and a center support structure extending between both end walls and spaced from the outer cylindrical wall.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A wad for use in a shot gun cartridge between a powder charge and a shot charge, the wad comprising:

(a) a cylindrical outer wall sized in its outer dimension to telescope within the cartridge case with a lower end adjacent the powder charge and an upper end adjacent the shot charge, said outer wall being exible;

(b) a rst end wall disposed transversely across the opening dened by the end of the outer wall adjacent the powder charge;

(c) a second end wall disposed transversely across the opening defined by the upper end of the outer wall adjacent the shot charge;

(d) a center support structure extending between and in Contact with said end walls and spaced interiorly of said outer wall; and

(e) said center support structure including a plurality of wall members in contact with substantially the full length of said support extending radially outward toward said outer wall and terminating in spaced relation thereto.

2. A wad for use in a shot gun cartridge between the powder charge and the shot charge, the wad comprising:

(a) a cylindrical outer wall sized in its outer dimension to telescope within the cartridge case with a lower end adjacent the powder charge and an upper end adjacent the shot charge, said outer wall being flexible;

(b) a first end wall disposed transversely across the opening defined by the end of the outer wall adja- .cent the powder charge;

(c) a second end wall disposed transversely across the opening defined by the upper end of the outer wall adjacent the shot charge;

(d) a center support structure extending `between said end Walls and spaced interiorly of said outer wall; and

(e) said center support structure including a cylindrical center post extending between and in contact With said end walls and a plurality of wall members in contact with substantially the full length of said center post extending radially outward from the center post toward said outer wall and terminating spaced from said outer wall.

3. A wad for use in a shot gun cartridge between the powder charge and the shot charge, the wad comprising:

(a) a cylindrical outer wall sized in its outer dimension to telescope within the cartridge case with a lower end adjacent the powder charge and an upper end adjacent the shot charge, said outer wall being flexible;

(b) an end wall disposed transversely across the opening defined by the end of the outer wall adjacent the powder charge;

(c) the upper end of said outer Wall including at least spaced segments of a support surface extending radially inward;

(d) a center support structure extending longitudinally from said lower end wall toward the upper end of said outer Wall and terminating substantially in a plane defined by the radial support surfaces;

(e) said center support structure including radially extending Walls in contact with substantially the full length of said center support structure spaced interiorly of said cylindrical outer wall a predetermined distance to provide a corresponding predetermined distribution of load between said support structure and said outer wall; and

(f) a thin wall member seating on said radial support surfaces and on said center support structure, said thin wall member supporting the shot charge on said support surfaces and said center support structure and transferring the shot charge load between them according to said predetermined distribution.

4. A pouch-wad for use in a cartridge case having a propellant charge, said pouch-wad comprising:

(a) a cylindrical outer Wall sized to telescope within the cartridge case so that one end is adjacent the propellant charge and the other end terminates near the forward end of the cartridge case;

(d) a first transverse end wall disposed across one end of the outer wall for confronting the propellant charge;

(c) a second transverse end wall extending transversely within said outer wall between said one end and its other end and in longitudinally spaced relation relative to said first transverse end wall, the transverse end Walls and the portion of said outer wall between said end walls forming a wad column, said second transverse end wall and the portion of the outer wall extending forwardly of said second transverse end wall forming a shot holding pouch;

(d) support strfucture extending longitudinally within said outer Wall between said transverse end walls, said support structure spacing and reinforcing said transverse end walls;

(e) said outer wall, said support structure and said first transverse end wall being integral and made of a synthetic plastic material;

(f) said support structure comprising a center support cylinder extending substantially concentrically with said outer wall; and

(g) reinforcing means integrally formed in a single 5 piece with said first transverse end wall and said center support cylinder and being disposed within said center support cylinder, and said reinforcing means extending within said center support cylinder from said first transverse end wall toward said second transverse end wall to reinforce the portion of said first transverse end wall within said center cylinder.

5. The pouch-wad device of claim 4 including:

(a) said support structure including a plurality of wall members extending radially outward from said center cylinder toward said outer wall and terminating spaced from the interior surface of said outer wall.

6. A pouch-wad for use in a cartridge case having a propellant charge, said pouch-wad comprising:

(a) a cylindrical outer wall sized to telescope within the cartridge case so that one end is adjacent the propellant charge and the other end terminates near the forward end of the cartridge case;

(b) a lirst transverse end wall disposed across one end of the outer wall for confronting the propellant charge;

(c) a second transverse end Wall extending transversely within said outer wall between said one end and its other end and in longitudinally spaced relation relative to said rst transverse end wall, the transverse end walls and the portion of said outer wall between said end walls forming a Wad column, said second transverse end wall and the portion of the outer wall extending forwardly of said second transverse end wall forming a shot holding pouch;

(d) support structure extending longitudinally Within said outer wall lbetween said transverse end walls, said support structure spacing and reinforcing said transverse end walls;

(e) said outer wall, said support structure and said first transverse end wall being integral and made of a synthetic plastic material; and

(f) said support structure comprising a cylindrical center post extending between and in contact with said end walls and a plurality of wall members in contact with substantially the full length of said post extending radially outward from said center post toward said outer wall and terminating spaced from an interior surface of said outer wall.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1961 France. 7/1961 France. 1/ 1955 Italy. 6/ 1957 Italy.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ARTHUR M. HORTON, SAMUEL FEINBERG,

Examiners. R. F. STAHL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WAD FOR USE IN A SHOT GUN CARTRIDGE BETWEEN A POWDER CHARGE AND A SHOT CHARGE, THE WAD COMPRISING: (A) A CYLINDRICAL OUTER WALL SIZED IN ITS OUTER DIMENSION TO TELESCOPE WITHIN THE CARTRIDGE CASE WITH A LOWER END ADJACENT THE POWDER CHARGE AND AN UPPER END ADJACENT THE SHOT CHARGE, SAID OUTER WALL BEING FLEXIBLE; (B) A FIRST END WALL DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE OPENING DEFINED BY THE END OF THE OUTER WALL ADJACENT THE POWDER CHARGE; (C) A SECOND END WALL DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE OPENING DEFINED BY THE UPPER END OF THE OUTER WALL ADJACENT THE SHOT CHARGE; 